I don't think there any balance or difficulty level intended for Origins as it's a seconday story/gameplay part added the main plot that you have to manage, although I wonder just how much compared to a regular Tav.
For instance, I wonder what kind of mechanic they'll put in for Gale to let us know he needs to consume an object? And when he does drain an item, will he get something positive in return for a while?
For example, this would be one of the points of playing as Gale - to see things from his perspective and what (and how) you can do about it.
